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In a recent interview, Kevin Durant said he understands why he doesn’t receive more support for individual awards like Defensive Player of the Year.
“Pure hate for me, obviously,” the Warriors star and back-to-back Finals MVP said.
To which many fans rolled their eyes and thought, classic K.D.—melodramatic and sensitive.
Even the world’s biggest Durant stan—the one person who has watched Thunderstruck more than once—probably understands why the gifted forward annoys so many NBA fans.
But Durant is far from the only player these days who receives “pure hate.” Actually, there are quite a few. Below, check out the 20 most hated players in the NBA today.
Honorable Mentions: Tristan Thompson, Austin Rivers, J.J. Redick, Hassan Whiteside, Kyrie Irving, Dwyane Wade, Gordon Hayward, J.R. Smith, Joel Embiid, Matthew Dellavedova, Derrick Rose, Evan Turner, and Paul George.
20. Trae Young
The kid just turned 20 and he already cracks our list. Young got the full ESPN treatment during his lone college season in Oklahoma. Given the natural similarities between his game, demeanor, and appearance and those of Steph Curry, seemingly the entire sports world questioned whether we were witnessing the rise of Chef Curry 2.0—a debate that had us all exhausted by February.
With the spotlight fixed on him, Young has been subject to the same criticisms as Curry: he’s soft, he doesn’t play defense, he jacks way too many bad shots, and he acts “selfless” but actually plays selfishly. Fair or not, those criticisms will probably plague Young for his entire career.
19. Grayson Allen
Allen is the only other rookie to make the cut. He had a solid four-year career at Duke, and everyone who’s played with him seems to like him. But he’ll always have a reputation as a dirty player—and with good reason. While in a Blue Devils uniform, Allen was involved in repeated tripping incidents. He flailed his limbs like Draymond Green (who, spoiler alert, appears later on this list). And Allen came off as a cry-baby when things didn’t go his way.
The Ted Cruz doppelganger is getting minutes for the upstart Jazz, and he seems destined for a solid NBA career, but he’ll always have a large crowd of haters—even if he stops tripping people.
18. John Wall
Wall is one of the most talented players in the league, but talent will only take you so far. He’s developed a reputation as a poor leader and locker room divider. He also hasn’t always stayed in top-flight physical shape. He showed up to Team USA training camp in Las Vegas this summer looking like he’d just left a week-long bender—giving more ammunition to the “he doesn’t work hard or care about winning!” crowd.
One of the oldest sports clichés is that “winning cures everything.” In Wall’s case, that might be true.
17. Kelly Olynyk
Kelly O. is up there with the dirtiest players in the game today. He’s a skilled big man and valuable role player, but he has constantly flirted with the line between playing hard and playing to hurt your opponent. During the 2015 playoffs, Olynyk battled with Kevin Love for a rebound and yanked his shoulder, causing a serious injury that sidelined Love for the 2015 Finals. During the 2017 playoffs, Olynyk got in a memorable kerfuffle with Washington’s Kelly Oubre Jr, leading to Draymond (Draymond!) calling Olynyk dirty.
Olynyk seems to draw more venom from his peers than fans, but plenty of fans still dislike the Miami forward.
16. Lonzo Ball
Obviously, it’s not really Lonzo’s fault he’s on this list. LaVar Ball is a larger-than-life figure. He willed his son onto the Lakers. He has rebelled against the sneaker system, the NCAA, and the media. He’s one of the most polarizing people to enter the sports landscape in recent years. And he’s given us an abundance of entertaining #content.
He’s also a certified loudmouth. He doesn’t care what you think of him, so he says what’s on his mind. Any time someone is that transparent, they’re going to have a crowd of detractors—and, in this case, their kids will, too. Oh, and Lonzo’s jumper is weird, and people think he’s corny.
15. Zaza Pachulia
Did you know Zaza is still in the league? Yep. He’s playing for the Pistons now. We didn’t see all that much of Zaza during last year’s playoffs, as JaVale McGee earned more playing time down the stretch, but the veteran center is still floating around—and still rubbing people the wrong way.
Zaza, like Olynyk, is noted as one of the dirtiest players in the league. He’s out there to be tough, set screens, and gets rebounds—he’s like a less-skilled Tristan Thompson. It says something that Zaza is most well-known for injuring Kawhi Leonard in the 2017 Western Conference Finals, completely turning the tide of that series. Even though they have turned on Kawhi, Spurs fans are still (understandably) salty about that play.
14. Blake Griffin
Dating back to his early days with the Clippers, Griffin has long been known as a player with way more style than substance—all show, no go. Though he is 6’10”, 250, he also has a reputation as one of the softest guys in the league (a true “fake tough guy”) and one of its worst floppers.
Griffin is hilarious (and he’s hoping to pursue comedy after he’s done playing), but his enormous ego has led to an enormous Blake Griffin Hater club. B.G. is off to a hot start in Motown, so maybe he’ll silence some of his critics this season.
13. James Harden
The Beard is the best isolation player in the game today, and maybe the best ever. He’s a wizard with the ball, and his step-back three is lethal. But there’s also plenty to dislike about the lefty. Though his defense has improved, it’s still terrible. He still carries that “can’t perform in the playoffs” reputation (fair or not). And, perhaps most relevantly, the way he plays the game can simply be annoying to watch.
He initiates contact to draw fouls in a way we’ve never seen before, and oftentimes it’s boring to watch him play iso ball and jack threes while his teammates stand around the perimeter. He may be the reigning MVP, but he’s also one of the most disliked players in the game.
12. Steph Curry
He’s one of the most electric players in NBA history and the best shooter who has ever played. When he gets hot, it’s truly something to behold. But Curry’s personality isn’t popular with everyone. He shimmies when he hits big shots. He talks smack. He gets worked up and has a tendency to chuck his mouthguard at other people (exhibits A and B).
Curry acts humble off the court and often espouses his Christian faith and family values, but some say that’s incongruent with his showy on-court persona. Further, they question his toughness and defense. The golden boy from Golden State gets ample hate. He would probably be surprised he didn’t make our top 10.
11. Draymond Green
Draymond is a one-of-a-kind talent. He’s a Swiss army knife on the court, and Golden State’s historic success wouldn’t be possible without him. He’s also the best trash-talker in the league; he loves getting into opponents’ heads. Draymond will even talk trash about his rivals in the media. While many players are hesitant to provide clickbait fodder, Draymond embraces his platform and says things like, “Tristan, we ain’t cut the same” (which ultimately led to a nightclub fight).
People dislike Green because of his big mouth and dirty play. He’s known to flail his legs. He tried to punch LeBron in the crotch, perhaps costing the Warriors the 2016 NBA Finals. The former Spartan lives for the hate, though, and he’s the best heel in the game today. The NBA needs Draymond.
10. DeMarcus Cousins
Three straight Warriors! Boogie has had haters his whole career. In Sacramento, he was known as a whiny problem child. The technical foul machine seemed to be turning things around in New Orleans, but then he tore his Achilles and opted to join the already embarrassingly loaded Warriors. That move has harmed his already-fragile reputation.
The former Kentucky Wildcat said he knew people wouldn’t like his decision, but he didn’t really care. That’s good, because as we’ve already seen this season, he’s about to face a new level of vitriol. Golden State has shown it can rescue the reputations before (see Nick Young, JaVale McGee), and it will attempt to do the same with Boogie.
9. Russell Westbrook
Like LaVar Ball, he’s authentic. The “now I do what I want” Jordan brand commercial featuring Westbrook dancing was the perfect encapsulation of his persona. He’s entertaining both on and off the court, and he’s one of the most ferocious athletes in the game. He’s also very inefficient. The former UCLA Bruin hoists shots in volume. He chases stats and fights off teammates to snag rebounds and amass triple-doubles. And he’s a high-key ball hog who still can’t play off the ball. That’s all not to mention his rampant pettiness.
Russ is a beloved figure in OKC—hey, at least someonefrom that Finals team is still hanging around. But would he really still be playing for the Thunder if he hadn’t received a contract offer worth nearly a quarter of a billion dollars?
8. Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi practically went from the favorite to the most hated in one year. Previously known as one of the most humble and hardworking stars in the league, Kawhi did a complete 180 last year. He wasn’t happy with how the Spurs handled his quadriceps injury, and his dissatisfaction became one of the biggest stories in the league. He probably didn’t mean for things to go so sour, but he came off as a complete prima donna. He demanded a trade to Los Angeles—and, in a cruel twist of fate, got sent to the coldest climate in the NBA.
Spurs fans will hate him for the rest of his career, and Raptors fans probably will, too, if he abandons Toronto like Vince Carter, T-Mac, and Chris Bosh have previously. That fan base holds grudges. If he leaves Toronto, he’ll likely crack our top five.
7. Rajon Rondo
Rondo has enemies in both the active-player and retired-player crowd. He and Ray Allen are still beefing (will we ever get the real story there?). And, because of his giant ego and refusal to back down from anyone, he seems to get in at least one dramatic fight (either on the court or in the locker room) every season. Most recently, he spit on Chris Paul and trashed him in the media, calling him a “horrible teammate.”
Rondo is one of the smartest players in the game, and he has rare talents as a passer and defender. He’s also an alpha who doesn’t like being bossed around. Considering he’s playing alongside the biggest alpha in sports, it wouldn’t be shocking if the situation spiraled this season in L.A., culminating in a dramatic Rondo-LBJ feud.
6. Chris Paul
Of course, we had to put Rondo and Paul back-to-back. CP3 has friends in high places around the league. He also has many, many enemies. Dating back to the time he punched Julius Hodge in the testicles in a college game, Paul has been known to play a bit too aggressively. Like Rondo, he’s an alpha, and as Rondo noted, numerous former teammates have spoken out about how they disliked playing with Paul.
He’s a great floor general (maybe the most underrated of all-time), and he’s great in those State Farm commercials (#CliffPaul)—but his authoritarian leadership and antagonistic playing style have resulted in some vitriolic relationships with other players.
5. Carmelo Anthony
Remember the days when people were actually debating whether Melo or LeBron would be the better pro player? In his glory—during the early Denver years and in New York—Carmelo one of the most gifted scorers in the game. But even back then he was known as a ballhog.
These days, people like to rag on him for his ego. When one Oklahoma City reporter asked whether he’d come off the bench, he let out a condescending laugh. He also gets heat for choosing money over titles and for his atrocious defense. Melo is on a mission to silence his critics and rebuild his reputation by winning a ring with Harden and Paul in Houston (while coming off the bench!) this season.
4. Jimmy Butler
Butler has been on a crash course to climb these rankings. He wants to be No. 1 so badly! He had a bit of a reputation in Chicago for causing problems in the locker room, but that reputation has been amplified by 100 times in the past month. Butler demanded a trade from Minnesota, made his younger co-stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins feel terrible about themselves, and declared to his GM, “you f***ing need me!”
Butler insists he’s been doing all of this because he cares so much about winning—but his preferred trade destinations are far from championship contenders. He has come off as an egomaniac with no self-awareness who only cares about making money and playing in a fun market. Who would want to play with this guy?
3. Dwight Howard
Dwight has been one of the most hated players in the league for what feels like a decade. Though he was loveable during his “Superman” years in Orlando, he made a quick heel turn in 2012. Dwight flip-flopped on whether he wanted to stay with the Magic, then ultimately joined the Lakers. While in L.A., he struggled to coexist with Kobe Bryant. You know what happened next: Dwight caused problems in Houston, then bounced around the league. At this point, having played for six teams, he’s a borderline journeyman.
There will always be questions about Dwight’s work ethic and passion. Though he’s a physical freak of nature, he doesn’t seem to care all that much about winning, being a leader, or leaving a favorable legacy. But with his early-career accomplishments, the Wizards center has already locked up a spot in the Hall of Fame.
2. LeBron James
LeBron’s large crowd of naysayers is reminiscent of a Kanye lyric: “screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it/I guess every superhero needs his theme music.” Look, there are reasons to hate LeBron. He handled The Decision badly. He left his hometown team to chase ringz, then participated in the tone-deaf Big Three pep rally. He’s an attention whore. He blew it in the 2011 NBA Finals. He drove Kyrie out of Cleveland. He still doesn’t have MJ’s “killer instinct.” And, yes, he is supremely passive aggressive and petty.
All those arguments are fair. But he’s also a bona fide legend. LBJ is a King both on and off the court. He’s already a business, philanthropy, and media mogul. He’s one of the best to ever play the game, if not the best. And he’s still, somehow, in his prime. Early in his career, it was clear the hate affected him. At this point, he seems immune to it.
1. Kevin Durant
And, lastly, we return to the figure with whom this story began. People say Durant ruined the NBA, and even though the game is in a strong place, it’s hard to argue with that sentiment. We know who’s going to win it all at the start of each season—it’s not that much fun.
Durant’s Thunder were up 3-1 on Golden State in the West Finals. The Warriors would have already been the title favorites without him. The Oklahoma City fans adored Durant. There are many reasons he shouldn’t have made the decision to join Golden State in 2016, and yet he did.
Nothing we can do about that. As much as people hate it, I think most have accepted it at this point. But Durant’s conduct since his move has really solidified his status as the most hated player in the game.
He’s repeatedly tried to defend himself and his decision. He’s ceaselessly complained about how he’s portrayed. He’s been outed for social media burner accounts. He’s railed against the media as “blog boys.” He’s acted like it’s unfair to put an asterisk by his championships—when, I mean, come on.
K.D., we still love you. We always will. But we also understand why so many people hate you—and you probably get it, too.